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Industry

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Automotive News

· Aims to double sales by 2017,helped by China’s growing number of wealthy buyers, a rebounding US economy and expansion into new markets
· China will likely overtake the US as Bentley’s biggest market
· Sales in China in 2011 were 1,839
· Bentley is aiming for annual sales of 15,000 within five years, up from 7,003 last year – in 2007 the brand had an all-time high of 10,014
· Bentley is waiting on the go-ahead from VW parent for the Bentley SUV
· Bentley will add 25 dealers globally this year, including 10 new dealers in China, the brand has 161 dealers worldwide, with 40 in the US, 15 in China and 60 in Europe

USA Today

· Hyundai has displayed both the Genesis and Equus as possibilities to the limo industry
· Hyundai will offer discounts of $3,500 to fleet operators on the Genesis, which starts at $34,200 and $4,500 on the larger Equus
· It will also offer the same warranty consumers get 100,000 miles or 10 years
· They will come with advanced engines and rear-wheel drive
· Ford’s Town Car went out of production last year and opens up the market to newcomers
· Ford is trying to get limo operators to purchase the Lincoln MKT

NY Times

· The breakthrough would consist of significant increases in the energy density and a sharp reduction in the cost of the battery packs
· Envia is financed by the Energy Department and GM ventures, among others
· The cost of the cells would be less than half
· Cathod, anode, and electrolyte materials are helping to improve the battery

NY Times

· Headlight assemblies may comeloose from the fender, posing a safety hazard
· Covers 2011-12 Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne S Hybrid, and Cayenne Turbo vehicles
· Headlight assembly was designed as a slide-in module that typically would be secured to the fender with a twist-lock mechanism

Automotive News

· Model could become a production vehicle if the public reaction is positive enough
· It would be a soft-top, four-seat SUV with a fully retractable roof
· Land Rover is working on a system that would allow the top to be closed in 12 seconds
· They will decide whether to build the concept and the announcement could come by the Paris Auto Show
· It would compete with the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

WSJ

· The vehicle will go on sale at auction to benefit Save the Children – the pre-sale estimate for the car is $100k-$150k
· It is the same car that burns rubber, performs power-slides, and spits fire in the video
· Daimler last year decided to discontinue the brand despite its high-profile buyer attraction